2009 Rookie Preview

There will be 21 rookies on the LPGA Tour during 2009.  For this season, the question is not whether this rookie class will be good or not.  The question is will they be the greatest rookie class ever.  Here is how I see them stacking up in the race of the Rookie of the Year title.  The number following each player's name is her priority standing as of the beginning of the season (players at about position 140 or better are guaranteed entry in full-field events).

Ji-Yai Shin (108)

The first non-member in LPGA history to win more than once, Shin won three Tour events in 2008 - the British Open, the Mizuno Classic and the ADT Championship - along with seven other victories in Korea and Japan.  There hasn't ever been a rookie who came in with better credentials than Ji-Yai (or Jiyai, as LPGA.com spells it).  Despite the other massively talented members in the Class of '09, it would be a monumental upset if Shin doesn't win ROY.  Player of the Year is certainly within her reach.

Michelle Wie (127)

If Shin is not the Rookie of the Year, I would bet that Wie is the one who beats her out.  Yes, I've heard the talk about Michelle only playing 12-14 events.  I don't believe that Team Wie would have "lowered" itself to Q-School participation only to play part-time, although they have done stranger things.  I think 20 events is a more realistic number and if Wie's game is anywhere near what it was in early 2006 (and it looked close to that at State Farm last July), she could gather enough Rolex points to push a less-than-stellar Shin.

Stacy Lewis (114)

Most seasons, Stacy Lewis would a big favorite to take the rookie honors.  The Arkansas All-American played well enough in limited action last year for my system to place her in the Top 30.  Lewis finished tied for third at the U.S. Open and was first at Q-School in December.  Even so, it was all I could do not to place her fourth on this list.

Vicky Hurst (109)

Like Lewis, Hurst would be a great candidate for Rookie of the Year - just not this year.  Vicky won five Futures Tour events last year and finished second three times.  So in eight of the 13 events she played, Hurst finished in the Top 2.  I should have at least included her in the Honorable Mentions of my Preseason Rankings, and it is quite likely that all four players I just listed could rank in my Top 30 before the end of 2009.

Shiho Oyama (124)

After those four players, does anybody else have a prayer of winning ROY?  How about this 11-time winner from the JLPGA Tour?  Oyama isn't coming off her best season - after winning five times in '06, she won twice in '07 and once in '08 - but she's been among the top five players in Japan for at least the last four years.  I'm not as high on her as The Constructivist, but I expect Shiho to be among my Top 50 and a Top 30 performance isn't unrealistic.

Mindy Kim (110)

This three-time Futures Tour winner finished second to Vicky Hurst on that tour's money list.  Kim could surprise me but I think she'll be no better than a Top 50 player this season.  Mindy was born in Korea but is listed by the LPGA as being from California so she might be a naturalized U.S. citizen (she doesn't have a bio at Seoulsisters.com and I couldn't find any confirmation through Google).

These four players will get into plenty of events but I doubt they will play well enough to threaten my Top 70:

Mika Miyazato (136)

M.J. Hur (112)

Chella Choi (146)

Jeehae Lee (133)

The rest of the rookies need to play very well in the early season events to give their priority ranking a boost.  I'm pretty sure Nordqvist is the best of this bunch but since ranking them is pure guesswork, I'll just list them by priority:

Anna Nordqvist (225)

Samantha Richdale (227)

Nontaya Srisawang (228)

Haeji Kang (230)

Tania Elosegui (231)

Song Yi Choi (232)

Jessica Shepley (233)

Kim Welch (235)

Pornanong Phatlum (319)

Sunny Oh (322)

Angela Oh (323)